Inflammatory Breast Cancer Program

To make an appointment, call 877-442-3324.

After scheduling, one of our nurses will call you to answer your questions and help you prepare for the appointment.

For more information about the Inflammatory Breast Cancer Program, call 617-632-2311.

IBC Information for Referring Physicians

The IBC Program offers highly specialized evaluation and care for patients with this rare and aggressive form of breast cancer that is frequently difficult to detect and often presents at an advanced stage.

To refer a patient for diagnosis and treatment for inflammatory breast cancer, call 877-332-4294.

Indications for Referral

Unlike other forms of breast cancer, which can be identified by a mass, inflammatory breast cancer is more challenging to diagnose. It presents within the breast more diffusely, often without a well-defined mass. IBC presents with more lymphatic involvement within the breast which causes the breast to feel thick or heavy and makes diagnosis more difficult. Routine imaging, such as mammogram, is often unreliable.

Patients who present with redness, swelling, pain, or itchiness of the breast or thickening of the skin on the breast, with ridging or dimpling, should be referred to a specialist for evaluation and a clinical examination and biopsy to confirm diagnosis.

While IBC shares clinical similarities to mastitis, if a patient does not respond to antibiotic treatment for mastitis, a specialist should be consulted about inflammatory breast cancer. Specialists involved with our Inflammatory Breast Cancer Program are available to provide guidance and assistance with diagnosis.